The largest
country in South America, Brazil is home to over four million plant and
animal species and approximately ６０％ of the Amazon rainforest, known as
the 『lungs of the Earth,』 which contains many beings found nowhere else
in the world.

Blessed by growing up in this bountiful
environment, Ms. Waligora has had a deep bond with animals and nature
since childhood.

Sheila
Waligora(f): It is something that emerged inside of me and that I
was able to express due to the abilities that I had, a connection, I
call it, a very big connection with animals.

HOST: Sheila’s love
of animals led her to become a veterinarian.

Sheila Waligora(f): And when I
graduated from veterinary school, I went to work with livestock, and
there was a boy, an agronomist, who accompanied me. And he once called
my abilities to my attention saying, 『Wow, how did you learn to do this？
How do you do this？ Because I have never seen anyone approach a cow
the way you do.』 Because my thinking was the cow is there. So, for me
to go there and touch her, I first must greet her from afar and seek
permission to talk with her. I cannot just arrive there with a
stethoscope examining the animal.

The animal will get scared,
right？ He would say, 『Wow, I have never seen this. It is very different.
It is very special.』

HOST: The more she learned, the more the
compassionate animal healer became concerned about the cruel practices
of Brazil’s livestock industry, causing her to re-think working as a
livestock veterinarian.